Baylor tennis makes championship hire

Baylor University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades announced Thursday the hiring of Brian Boland as Director of Tennis and Head Men's Tennis Coach.

"Brian Boland is a four-time national champion and one of the most respected coaches in tennis. We are absolutely thrilled he is joining the Baylor Family," Rhoades said. "Brian is a man of tremendous integrity who shares our common values of Preparing Champions for Life. His on-court credentials speak for themselves, and under his leadership our men's tennis program will continue to compete for national championships while living out the distinctively unique mission of Baylor University."

"My family and I are thrilled to be part of the Baylor Bears Athletic Department led by Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades and his team," Boland said. "We are committed to Baylor's mission and values, and we look forward to rejoining college tennis and continuing the tradition of excellence that has been established at Baylor."

A four-time national champion with 21 years of head coaching experience, Boland won four national championships in a five-year span at Virginia before departing to become the head of men's tennis for USTA Player Development in May 2017.

"I will miss my terrific colleagues at the USTA and will be forever grateful to the USTA for providing me with the opportunity to lead Men's Professional Development," Boland added. "My time in Player Development was an extraordinary valuable experience. The USTA staff works tirelessly to make American tennis the best it can be. The leadership of Martin Blackman and his team is fantastic and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. PD has some of the finest coaches in the world and they are incredible people. The players competing on behalf of American tennis represent our country so well."

Boland has amassed a 574-90 career record and led teams to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. His teams have averaged less than one loss in conference play per season, going a combined 209-18 over 21 seasons.

Virginia finished top-10 nationally in each of the final 14 seasons in Boland's 16-year tenure as head coach, including 11 consecutive seasons with a top-five final national ranking. He led the Cavaliers to national championships in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and UVA advanced to the national semifinals in 10 of his final 11 seasons, including each of the last eight years. His teams achieved No. 1 national rankings in 10 different seasons, won six ITA National Team Indoor Championships and 12 ACC Championships.

Virginia also won 13 consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles and went on a streak of 140 consecutive wins against ACC opponents, which is the longest winning streak in conference history in any sport.

Boland was recognized as ITA National Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2016. He's a seven-time ITA Regional Coach of the Year and a 10-time conference Coach of the Year. Boland has coached 43 All-American, four NCAA Singles Champions, three NCAA Doubles Champions, 59 All-ACC selections, three ITA National Players of the Year, two ITA National Freshmen of the Year, 10 ITA Regional Rookies of the Year, four ACC Freshmen of the Year, 12 ACC Tournament MVPs and three ACC Players of the Year.

Boland's first five years as a head coach were at his alma mater, Indiana State, where he led the program from 1997 through 2001. He posted a 121-32 record at ISU, including a 57-3 Missouri Valley Conference mark that included a perfect 36-0 league record over his final three seasons. He was recognized as MVC Coach of the Year in four of five seasons and was named 2000 ITA Region V Coach of the Year.

During his tenure at Indiana State, Boland also served as Director of Tennis at the Terre Haute Country Club. In addition, he and his wife Becky established the Sycamore Tennis Summer Camp, which drew hundreds of kids from across the state. On Sept. 29, 2016, he was inducted into the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame.

Boland earned a bachelor of science degree in political science from ISU in 1995. He and his wife, Becky, have four children, Briana, Bryce, Brendan and Brooke.